July 31, 2017

Colorado added 62,000 new jobs over the past 12 months, an increase of 2.4% over this time last year. All of the metropolitan markets included in this report saw annual employment growth, with substantial growth in Boulder (4.7%) and Fort Collins (+4.1%), and more modest growth in Grand Junction (0.3%). In May, the unemployment rate in the state was 2.3%, matching the prior month and down...
Read More >

July 28, 2017

The markets covered by this report—Los Angeles, San Diego, San Bernardino, Orange, and Riverside—added 131,900 new jobs between May 2016 and May 2017. As a result, the unemployment rate dropped from 4.7% to 3.9%. Growth in the Southern California market has started to taper, but this is unsurprising given our place in the current economic expansion.
Read More >

July 27, 2017

Employment growth in the Las Vegas metropolitan area slowed down—albeit very modestly—as the market entered the summer, with an annual employment growth of 2.9%. That said, the market has added 27,300 new jobs over the past 12 months. With this growth in employment, the unemployment rate remained at 4.8%, which is marginally above the statewide level of 4.7%. Las Vegas continues to approach...
Read More >

July 26, 2017

The Washington State economy has been expanding at a rapid pace but we are seeing a slowdown as the state grows closer to full employment. Given the solid growth, I would expect to see income growth move markedly higher, though this has yet to materialize. I anticipate that we will see faster income growth in the second half of the year. I still believe that the state will add around 70,000 jobs
Read More >

July 25, 2017

The first question you need to ask yourself is, “Am I disciplined enough to invest in stocks?” According to two professors who recently studied 30 years of personal-finance performance, you need to be someone with exceptional financial discipline if you want to earn real money in the stock market. Or, you could simply buy a house.
Read More >

July 20, 2017

Housing markets all across the U.S. are suffering from serious shortages of homes for sale, and this isn’t expected to change in the foreseeable future.
When I think about inventory levels and the fact that demand is clearly outstripping supply, it makes me question why homebuilders aren’t stepping up to the plate to meet all this pent-up demand.
Read More >

July 19, 2017

When Gordy was offered a promotion, he and his wife Linda would need to relocate and give up their custom home. It wouldn't be easy, but lucky for them, they found Windermere Real Estate agent, Dawn Hardman. Over the course of a year, Dawn and Linda spent a lot of time together. Dawn took on the role of host to her new clients...
Read More >

July 17, 2017

Each Windermere office has its own Windermere Foundation fund account that they use to make donations to organizations in their communities. Year to date, a total of $979,486 has been disbursed to non-profit organizations dedicated to providing services to low-income and homeless families throughout the Western U.S.
Read More >

July 14, 2017

Studies continue to show that real estate buyers are willing to pay a substantial premium for homes that feature highly efficient, environmentally friendly “green energy” technology.
While the added value depends on the location of the home, its age, and whether it’s certified or not, three separate studies all found that newly constructed, Energy Star- or LEED-certified homes typically sell...
Read More >

July 10, 2017

How can you make your home more attractive to potential buyers? The answer is with some “home staging”. According to the Wall Street Journal, implementing some basic interior design techniques can not only speed up the sale of your home but also increase your final selling price.
It all comes down to highlighting your home's strengths, downplaying its weaknesses...
Read More >